The lithium-ion battery is one of the best-sellers of recent decades in microelectronics. It is present in most of the devices we use in our daily lives, from our mobile phones to electric cars. The 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to John Goodenough, Stanley Wittingham, and Akira Yoshino, in recognition of their initial research that led to its …

A shorter version of this article was published in the monthly magazine Acteurs du franco-allemand, as part of an editorial partnership. Robots must learn to communicate better if they want to earn their spot in the factory of the future. This will be a necessary step in ensuring the autonomy and flexibility of production systems. This issue is the focus …

Quantum mechanics is central to much of the technology we use every day. But what exactly is it? The 11th Fondation Mines-Télécom booklet explores the origins of quantum technology, revealing its practical applications by offering a better understanding of the issues. To clarify the concepts addressed, the booklet includes a glossary, from which this list is taken.   Black-body radiation …

This book is devoted to biocolonization, the biodeterioration of materials and possible improvements in their performance. Many materials age according to their use and their environment. The presence of microorganisms can then lead to biodeterioration. However, these can also help protect structures, provided their properties are used wisely. Christine LORS, researcher at IMT Lille Douai is co-author of this book …

Businesses are increasingly turning towards selling the use of their products. This shift in business models affects SMEs and major corporations alike. In practice, this has an impact on all aspects of a company’s organization, from its design chain to developing collaborations, to rolling out new offerings for customers. Xavier Boucher and his colleagues, researchers in industrial systems design and …

The social and solidarity economy (SSE) encompasses organizations that seek to respond to human problems through responsible solutions. Far from being an epiphenomenon, the SSE accounts for a significant share of the economy both in France and around the world. Contrary to popular belief, these principles are far from new. Mélissa Boudes, a researcher in management at Institut Mines-Télécom Business …

For the past twenty years, industry sectors across the board have been producing a wide range of nanomaterials. They have developed rapidly and with little in the way of regulation. This has led to a regulatory vacuum when it comes to the end-of-life management of these nanomaterials. Little is known about the environmental and health impacts linked to the future …

In the future, materials will not only need to be more efficient; it will also be essential that they are environmentally friendly. With this in mind, researchers from IMT Mines Alès who specialize in bio-sourced materials are working on this project.  Over the past few decades, they have been trying to develop environmentally-friendly alternatives to the most polluting materials. One …

Some microorganisms can seriously damage structures made of concrete or stone, leading to billions of euros in damage. Others, on the contrary, have a positive effect as they are able to heal micro-cracks.   They are microscopic, but can cause billions of euros in damage. Microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi and algae, are ubiquitous in the environment and can develop …